Thursday, July 24 2008

Del Mar Stable Notes 7/23/8

FULL FIELD OF 10 OAKS PROSPECTS TO LINE UP FOR SAN CLEMENTE

Ten 3-year-old fillies with dreams of running in the Grade I, $400,000 Del Mar Oaks on Saturday, August 16, will head for the starting gate Saturday for the 41st edition of the Grade II, $150,000 San Clemente Handicap at a mile on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Heading the field are a couple of unplaced runners -- Bel Air Sizzle and Missit -- from Hollywood Park's Grade I American Oaks, Honeymoon Handicap winner Misty Ocean and Hollywood Oaks third-place finisher Tasha's Miracle.

Arlington Park Barn Notes - Wednesday, July 23, 2008

ARLINGTON MILLION-BOUND SILVERFOOT GETS WEDNESDAY BREEZE

Chrysalis Stables’ Silverfoot, winner of Arlington Park’s Grade III Stars and Stripes Handicap July 4, breezed a half-mile over Arlington’s world famous turf course in :51 Wednesday morning in advance of a projected start in the Grade I Arlington Million Aug. 9.

“He’s always been a good work horse, and this morning he went exactly the way I wanted him to go,” said conditioner Leigh Bentley, who is handling the daily training chores in Chicago for Silverfoot’s Kentucky-based trainer Dallas Stewart.

Wednesday, July 23 2008

FUTURE STARS LOOK TO STEP UP IN SANFORD STAKES

When Todd Pletcher saddled Ready’s Image to victory in last year’s Sanford Stakes, it seemed to be a harbinger of yet another spectacular Saratoga meet for the trainer. But, as it turned out, Ready’s Image was the lone juvenile stakes winner at the Spa for Pletcher, who would send out only two more two-year-old winners from 47 starters and who, not uncoincidentally, saw his string of five consecutive training titles snapped.

“At Saratoga, a lot of our success depends on our two-year-olds,” said Pletcher, who was 1-for-23 with first-time two-year-old starters last year. “And this year, we’re kind of in the same position we were last year. We’ve got 30 or so just getting close to ready to run.”

“SARATOGA AT BELMONT” TO OPEN ON SCHEDULE

“Saratoga at Belmont” will be up and running on Wednesday, July 23, despite last weekend’s transformer fire that short-circuited the final day of the Belmont Park Spring/Summer season on Sunday.

As the faulty transformer is being replaced, generators have been installed to provide more than enough electricity to power Belmont Park’s simulcasting of the prestigious Saratoga meet and action from other top tracks. Air-conditioning has already been restored to the Belmont Café (first floor clubhouse), and could be restored to the Paddock Dining Room, along with the adjacent Players Club and Paddock Bar, as early as Friday.

Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Continuing their commitment to one another and to the health, safety and welfare of the Thoroughbreds on the racetrack and their life thereafter, Monmouth Park Racetrack has provided office space to ReRun, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which provides care and rehabilitation to off the track Thoroughbreds while awaiting adoptive homes.

“This is really win-win for everyone involved,” said Bill Knauf, assistant general manager of Monmouth Park. “Monmouth Park has always been supportive of programs such as ReRun and we look forward to working together in the future, offering assistance and helping them achieve their goals and objectives.”

Tuesday, July 22 2008

POPULIST TOPS DENISE RHUDY MEMORIAL

John Fike's Populist tops the $75,000 Denise Rhudy Memorial to be run at Delaware Park this Saturday. The one mile and a sixteenth turf contest for 3-year-old fillies has attracted a field of eleven.

In her most recent outing, Populist scored 1 ¾-length victory in the mile and a sixteenth $55,000 St. Georges Stakes at Delaware Park on June 28. The St. Georges was originally scheduled for the turf, but was transferred to the main track. Previously, the daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus, won a mile and a sixteenth allowance by ¾-lengths at Pimlico on May 31. The Kentucky-bred trained by Gary Capuano sports a career record of three wins, a second and a third from six starts with earnings of $87,810.

Del Mar Stable Notes 7/21/8

LAVA MAN FANS MAY HAVE SEEN LAST OF HIM AT THE RACES

It's not official, and it might not happen right now, but there's a good chance that Lava Man may have raced for the last time, in Sunday's Grade I Eddie Read Handicap.

The 7-year-old warrior finished last of six in the 1 1/8-mile turf race and the owners -- STD Stable and Jason Wood -- expect to make a decision soon on his future.

Point Determined Entered in Friday Allowance Feature at Calder

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (July 21, 2008) – St. George Stable’s 5-year-old Point Determined was last seen under colors finishing a well-beaten seventh behind Strong Contender and Lawyer Ron in the Super Derby (G2) at Louisiana Downs in September of 2006 for the Bob and Beverly Lewis Trust with Bob Baffert as trainer.

Runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and ninth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) earlier that season, Point Determined has re-surfaced at Calder Race Course in the care of the meet’s current leading trainer Kirk Ziadie, and is entered in Friday’s ‘money’ allowance feature at six furlongs with jockey Ariel Smith named to ride in the in the field of seven older horses.

Road To The Million VII:  Monday, July 21, 2008

CORAL-ECLIPSE HERO MOUNT NELSON JOINS ARLINGTON MILLION MIX; TWO EUROPEANS NOW LIKELY FOR BEVERLY D. – FOUR FOR SECRETARIAT

British-bred Mount Nelson, who ascended to the summit of Great Britain’s prestigious Group I Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park July 5, has now become the latest European-based superstar to join the list of probable starters for the upcoming Grade I Arlington Million Aug. 9.

The Coral-Eclipse, first run in the United Kingdom in 1886, is traditionally recognized as the initial race of the British Thoroughbred season in which Europe’s best sophomores encounter their older rivals. Legendary European champions that boast a Coral-Eclipse win on their résumés include such cracks as Mill Reef, Brigadier Gerard, Sadler’s Wells, Pebbles and Giant’s Causeway, but none of those ever crossed the ocean to grace an Arlington Million field.

Monday, July 21 2008

Bear Now hits million-dollar mark with Ontario Matron score

TORONTO, July 20 * Bear Now, a dark bay daughter of Tiznow, led at every call in taking the $155,500 Ontario Matron Stakes, for fillies and mares, Sunday at Woodbine.

Sent off as the 4-5 choice, the four-year-old Kentucky-bred eclipsed the seven-figure mark in career earnings with the 1 ½-length score for owner Bear Stables.

Of the 29 nominations to the Schuylerville, three belonged to Breen, including undefeated Bold Union

TORONTO, July 20 * Fatal Bullet gave Bear Stables and trainer Reade Baker a sweep of Sunday's added-money features, as the son of Red Bullet gunned down six rivals to take the $150,000 Bold Venture Stakes, at Woodbine.

Under Eurico Rosa da Silva, Fatal Bullet passed Vigil Stakes champion Disfunction in early stretch to take the 6 ½ furlong Bold Venture in a time of 1:14.54, besting the previous mark of 1:14.82 set by Home for Harlan on May 19.

BREEN’S PACKING HEAT FOR OPENING DAY SCHUYLERVILLE

It is always an edge to have options, and trainer Kelly Breen plans to take full advantage of his situation on Wednesday, July 23, when Saratoga Race Course opens the doors on its 36-day meeting.

Breen has entered George and Lori Hall’s Boom Town Sally in the Opening Day feature, the 90th running of the Grade 3, $100,000-added Schuylerville for two-year-old fillies at six furlongs.